Water feed for boilers



April 6, 1954 D. MCBRIDE WATER FEED FOR BOILERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug. 4, 1952 INVENTOR DeZroy jldfiride ATTORNEYS April 6, 1954 FiledAug. 4, 1952 D. M BRIDE WATER FEED FOR BOILERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR- ,De Zray ride BY QM' ATTORNEYS April 6, 1954 D. MCBRIDE WATERFEED FOR BOILERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 4, 1952 ATTORNEYS April 6,1954 D. MCBRIDE WATER FEED FOR BOILERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 4,1952 INVENTOR 4 ATTORNEYQ April 6, 1954 D. M BRIDE WATER FEED FORBOILERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 4, 1952 INVENTOR MWm ATTORNEYS April6, 1954 D. MCBRIDE WATER FEED FOR BOILERS Filed Aug. 4, 1952 6Sheets-Sheet 6 9% 749 A f /O5 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 6, 1954UNITED STATES PATENT 2,674,257 OFF ICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved means for feeding water to aboiler, and is an improvement over the construction shown in my priorPatents No. 2,574,341, issued November 6, 1951, for Boiler Feed Trap,and No. 570,961, issued October 9, 1951, for Boiler Feed.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved and simplifiedmeans which is automatically operable for maintaining a predeterminedwater level in a boiler.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water feeding means fora boiler wherein the water which is to be discharged into the boiler isplaced under boiler pressure so that the water can flow by gravity intothe boiler.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a feeding means ofthis kind an improved steam valve and float actuated operating meanstherefor whereby the delivery tank will be filled to a predetermineddegree before the steam valve is opened to admit steam to the deliverytank in order to equalize the pressure in the tank relative to theboiler so that the water can gravitatingly flow past a check valve intothe boiler.

Another object of this invention is to provide a steam valve operatingfloat in a delivery tank, releasable means for holding the float frommovement in one direction, and a pilot float means associated with thereleasable means for effecting release of the latter when the deliverytank is either full or substantially empty so that the steam valve floatmay mov to either valve opening or closing position.

A further object of this invention is to provide means whereby theamount of water to be discharged into the boiler may be closelyregulated.

With the above and other objects in. view, my invention consists in thearrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in thedrawings and specification, and then more fully pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawings- Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation, partly insection, of a boiler feeding means constructed according to anembodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view similar to Figure 3, showing the floats inupper tank full position,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a vertical section of the steam valve,

Figure 7 is a vertical section of the vent valve,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary outer side elevation of the adjusting meansfor the float locking levers,

Figure 9' is a sectional view taken on the line.

. 9-9 of Figure 8.,

Figure 10' is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of theforward end oi th main float,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line H-ll ofFigure 5,

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line IZ-l2 ofFigure 2,

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l3-l3 ofFigure 2.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figure 1, the numeral 15designates generally a conventional boiler with which the boiler feedermeans to be hereinafter described is adapted to be associated. A waterfeeding tank generally designated as I6 is supported by suspension barsI! above the boiler I5. Th tank I 6 comprises a main tank member [8formed with an annular flange i9 and a small or end tank member 20having a flange 2| which is secured by suitable fastening means 22 tothe flange IS. Th two tank members I8 and 20 form an elongated tank ofsuitable capacity which is adapted to gravitatingly feed water to theboiler l5.

The tank 16 has a combined inlet and outlet 23 with which a pipe 24 isconnected and pipe 24 is connected tothe upper portion of the boiler 15.A rearwardly closing check valve 25 is interposed in the pipe 24 and acutoff valve 28- is interposed in pipe 24 between valve 25 and theboiler 5. A pre-heating water tank 2'! is connected to pipe 24 by meansof a pipe 30 and an outwardly closing check valve 3| is interposed inpipe 30.

A water supply pipe 32 is connected to the upper portion of thepro-heating tank 2! and. is connected to a sourc of water supply underpressure. An electric valve 33 is interposed in pipe 32 and valve 33 isregulated as to the operation thereof by means of a float operatedswitch 34. The switch 34 is operated by meansof a float 35 in a housing36 and housing 36' is connected to a pipe 31 which is connected to theboiler l5. Switch 34 is connected by means of a conductor 38 to switchvalve 33 and is connected by means of a conductor 39 to a source ofcurrent supply. A supply conductor 40 is connected to the electricswitch structure 33.

An auxiliary water supply tank M is disposed above tank l6 and isconnected to pipe 24 by means of a pipe 42. A rearwardly closing checkvalve 43 is interposed in pipe 42 and a cutoli valve 44- is interposedin pipe 42 between valve 43 and tank 4|. The tank l6 has mounteddiametrically thereacross a shaft 45 which is mounted in U-shapedbearings 46 which are fixed to the inner side of the tank [6. A shaftlocking pin 41 is extended across the upright arms of the bearings 46,as shown in Figure 3-, soas to hold shaft 45 against upward movement andpin 41 is locked by means of a cotter pin 48.

A main float or valve operator generally designated as 49 is rockablymounted in the tank I6. The float 49 comprisesa pair of elongated leverarms 55 and 5| which are formed with bearing sleeves 52 and 53respectively at their inner ends and sleeves 52 and 53 are looselymounted on shaft 45. The lever arms and 5| have secured to the outerends a closed buoyant body 54 which is fixed as by welding or the likebetween the outer ends of the arms so and 51, The main float s9 alsoincludes rearwardly projecting short lever arms ES-and 56 extendingrearwardly from the bearing sleeves 52 and 53 respectively, andcounterbalancing Weights 57 and 58 are fixed to the short lever arms 55and 56 respectively.

A steam inlet valve generally designated as 59 is secured to the tank I6and is connected by means of a pipe 60 to the boiler I5. A cutoff valve85 is interposed in pipe 69. The steam inlet valve 59, as more clearlyshown in Figure 6, is formed of a housing 82 which is threaded into anipple 63 carried by the tank iii. The housing 8'2 is formed with ahorizontally extending boss 64 with which pipe 60 is connected. A steamchamber 95 is formed in the upper portion of the housing 62, and a mainsteam valve 89 is disposed in chamber 65 and is gravitatingly andnormally urged to engage a valve seat 61.

A main steam valve 66 is formed with a central bore or passage 68 andwith a plurality of downwardly divergent passages 99. The Valve 66 alsoincludes a grooved guide member 10 which is slidable in a bore II formedby the seat 61. A pilot valve 12 normally engages a pilot valve seat 13formed at the upper end of the bore 68 and is gravitatingly urgeddownwardly to closed position.

The pilot valve I2 includes an upwardly projecting valve stem '14 whichis slidable in a guide or cage I which is threaded into the upperportion of a cylindrical sleeve or guide I6 fixed and projectingupwardly from the main valve plug 66. The guide sleeve I6 is formed witha plurality of openings 17 whereby steam will be permitted to enter theinterior of the sleeve or guide member 16.

The housing 82 includes a lower guide member I8 and a downwardlyprojecting cage I9 formed with a guide 80 at the lower end thereof. Avalve opening rod or stem BI is slidable in the guides 80 and 18 and isformed with a reduced upper end 82 which is slidable in the bore 68 andis adapted at its upper end to engag the pilot valve I2. Upward movementof the stem. or rod 8I will initially unseat the pilot valve 12 when theshoulder 83 which is formed at the lower end of the reduced stem or rod82 engages the lower end of the grooved or ribbed guide I0 whichprojects from the main valve plug 68.

The steam valve 59 is adapted to be moved to open position when fioat 49is in its uppermost position and this is accomplished by means of avertically disposed rod 84 which is fixed at its lower end to a. fitting85 carried by a pin 86 which is extended through the arm SL The rod 84is slidable through a guide 8'! which is welded or otherwise fixed tothe inner side of th tank I6, and the upper end of rod 84 has a cup 88fixed thereto and confronting the lower end of the rod 81. In thelowered position of the float 49 cup 88 is disposed in spaced relationto the lower end of rod or stem 8|.

A vent valve generally designated as 89 is secured to the tank I8,extending. downwardly through a boss or nipple 90 carried by the tankI6. The vent valve 89 comprises a housing 9I which is formed at itslower end with a reduced projection 92 having a vertical bore 93 whichforms a guide for the valve stem, as will be hereinafter described. Anupwardly flared wall 94 is connected betweenthe projection 92 and thehousing 9| and is formed with a plurality of openings 95 which aredisposed within the tank I6. The housing 9| is threaded onto there-.duced lower end 96 of a plug 91, and the reduced 4 lower end 96 hasthreaded thereinto a valve seat 98.

The upper end of the plug 91 has a vent pipe 99 connected at one endthereto and the other end of the pipe 99 is connected to the upper endof a water heating coil I00 which extends vertically within thepreheating tank 21. The lower end of the coil I00 has an exhaust pipeIOI connected therewith and pipe IOI may exhaust the steam to theatmosphere.

An upwardly closing conical vent valve plug I02 is disposed in housing9I and is secured to the upper end of a valve stem or rod I03 which isslidable in a bore 93. The lower end of the valve stem I03 engages in acup member I04 which is secured to the upper end of a vertical rod I05.The rod I05 is loosely secured at its lower end to th inner end of avalve closing lever I06 which is mounted on a downwardly projecting armI01 fixed to the inner end of lever arm 50.

A pivot pin I08 projects from the arm I01 and lever I06 projectsrearwardly from pivot I08 and has a weight I09 secured to the rearportion thereof whereby valve member I02 will be gravitatingly andnormally urged upwardly to a closed position.

In,order to provide a means whereby valve member I02 may be moveddownwardly to an open position when float 49 is in its lower position, Ihave provided an upwardly projecting bar IIO which is secured at itslower end to a fitting III mounted on a pin II2 carried by the lever arm50. The upper end of the bar I I0 is formed with a right angularlydisposed eye II3 which loosely engages about the valve stem I02 and. is

disposed on the upper side of a nut I I4 which is threaded onto the stemI03. When float 49 rocks downwardly bar IIO will move therewith and willdraw valve plug I02 downwardly to an open position against the urging ofweighted lever I06. The main float 49 is adapted to be locked in eitheran upper or lower position by means of a pair of oppositely disposedlocking levers I I5 and I I6. The lever I I5 is pivotally mounted on ashaft or pin II'I carried by a crank arm H8. The crank arm H8 isdisposed in a laterally offset housing II9 which is formed on one sideof the tank I6. A crankshaft I20 is secured to crank arm I I8 andprojects through a bearing boss I2I carried by the outer wall I22 ofoffset housing II9. A lever I23 is fixed to shaft I20 on the outer sideof housing I I9 and one end of a lever adjusting bolt I24 is rotatablymounted in arm I23. Bolt I24 is threaded through a nut I25 whichprojects from the outer wall I22.

Lever H5 is constantly urged downwardly to a locking position with thelower end thereof engaging a roller or wheel I26 mounted on a pin I21carried by the arm 5| by means of an offset weight I28. Locking lever II6 is rockably mounted on a shaft or pin I29 which is secured to a crankarm I30 and crank arm I30 extends right angularly from a crankshaft I3I.Shaft I3I projects through a bushing or boss I32 carried by the outerwall I22 of housing I I9, and a crankshaft adjusting lever I33 is fixedto the outer end leased position to thereby permit upward or downwardmovement of float 49, I have provided a pilot float l3? which is carriedby an arm I38, with a buoyant body I39 secured to arm I38 and positionedbetween the arms 53 and EI. The inner end of arm i328 is secured to asleeve I40 which is loosely mounted on shaft 45 between the levers 553and A rearwardly projecting short lever arm it? projects from thebearing sleeve I40 and has a counterbalancing weight M3 secured to therear end thereof. One end of sleeve Hill has flxed thereto a pair ofoppositely extending levers Hi l and M5, the purpose for which will behereinafter described.

A pair of elongated cam carrying rods I45 and I il are disposed insubstantially parallel relation to each other, and to the lever arm EI.The outer ends or the rods I46 and I l! are slidable through bushingsits and I49 respectively Which are secured to the buoyant member 5 Theinner or rear ends of the rods I46 and Isl are adjustably threaded intosleeves I55 and I5I which are pivotally secured at their inner or rearends to the lever arms I44 and M5 respectively.

Rod I iii has a lock releasin cam I52 secured thereto which uponrearward movement of rod M6 is adapted to engage locking lever H5. Rodit'l has a lever releasing cam I53 fixed thereto which upon rearwardmovement of rod M1 is adapted to engage lever I it.

In the use and operation of this device, the tank I5 is disposed in anelevated position above the boiler I5 and preferably tank II is alsoelevated above tank It. Initially valves 26 and 8! are open so that whenthe water level in boiler I5 reaches a predetermined low, float 35 willclose switch 3 and energize electric valve 33 so that this valve will bemoved to an open position. Assuming that main float 49 is initially inits lowered position, with tank is empty, at which time valve 33 waspreviously closed, switch 54 will be moved by float 35 to a circuitclosing position so as to open valve 33. At this time water will flowfrom preheating tank 2? past check valve 'JI into tank It. With float 49in its lower tank will rise and when pilot float 181 is substantially atits uppermost position, cam I52 will contact with lever H5 and swinglever II5 from looking contact with roller I25. Main float to will thenrapidly swing upwardly to its uppermost position and at this time leverH5 will swing rearwardly as shown in Figure 4. Lower looking lever I Itwill, under the action of weight I35, swing upwardly to the positionshown in Figure 4, with the upper end of lever I It in lookingengagement with roller i25. When float 4s swings rapidly upwardly underthe buoyancy of buoyant member 5 1, vent valve plug Hi2 will be movedupwardly to a closed position by means of the weighted lever Hi5 and atthe same time cup 83 carried by rod at will push valve operatin rod BIupwardly to initially open pilot valve 13 and subsequently open mainsteam valve 56. When steam valve 66 is in an open position, being heldin such position by the main float 49, steam will enter tank it abovethe water level so that the steam pressure in tank I6 will be equal tothe steam pressure in boiler I5. With the steam pressure equal in tankIt and boiler I5, the

weight of water in tank It will open check valve.

25 and tank It will thereby empty into boiler I5. As the steam flowsthrough steam valve 59, the steam entering tank I6 will contact with abailie I54 which is secured to the upper portion of tank It so that thesteam will be distributed within the empty space in tank I6 above theupper water level.

As the water empties from tank I5, pilot member I3! will floatdownwardly with the dropping of the water and at this time lever arm M5Will be rocked rearwardly so that cam I53 will in substantially thelower position of pilot float I37 contact lockin lever I It so as tothereby unseat or release lever H5 from roller I26. Main float 49 uponrelease from lever IIS will rapidly SWll'lg downwardly and a bumper I55is preferably secured to the inside of the tank It for engagement withweight I35. As main float it reaches the end of its downward movement,steam valve 59 will be released from valve operatin rod t l so thatvalve plug lit and pilot '12 will gravitatingly move downwardly to aclosed position. At the same time that steam valve 59 is moving to aclosed position, vent valve M12 is drawn to an open position by downwardmovement of bar Ill) with eye IIS contacting nut II-i. Adjustment of thepivot members or shafts H! and I29 by the adjusting bolts E24 and I34respectively will regulate the uppermost and lowermost positions of themain float 39. The boiler feeding means hereinbefore described will gothrough its filling and emptyin cycles until the boiler it has the waterlevel thereof raised to a point where float 35 will move switch 34 to acircuit breaking position. With switch 34 in a circuit breakingposition, the water feeding means will be inactive and will remaininactive until the water level in boiler I5 again reaches apredetermined low point.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of constructionherein disclosed, but claim all variations fallin within the purview ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A water feeding means for a boiler compris ing a tank having acombined inlet and outlet, means connecting said combined inlet andoutlet with a source of water supply, means connecting said combinedinlet and outlet with the boiler, a steam valve carried by said tank, avalve operating float in said tank, a float supporting lever rockablydisposed in said tank, an operative connection between said lever andsaid valve for moving the latter to open position when said float risesto a predetermined degree, a releasing float in said tank, a rock leverfixed to said releasing fioat, a pair of oppositely disposed floatlocking levers in said tank engageable with said first-named lever foralternately locking the latter in an upper or a lower position, a pairof lever releasing members carried by said first-named float and lever,means operable by movement thereof said releasing float engageable withsaid releasing members for moving the latter to effect release of saidlocking levers when said tank is substantially fllled or emptied.

2. A water feeding means for a boiler comprising a tank having acombined inlet and outlet, means connecting said combined inlet andoutlet with a source of water supply, means connecting said combinedinlet and outlet with the boiler, a steam valve carried by said tank, avalve operating float in said tank, a float supporting lever rockablydisposed in said tank, an operative connection between said lever andsaid valve for moving the latter to open position when said float risesto a predetermined degree, a releasing float in said tank, a rock leverfixed to said releasing float a pair of oppositely disposed floatlocking levers in said tank engageable with said first-named lever foralternately locking the latter in an upper or a lower position, a pairof lever releasing members carried by said firstnamed float and lever,means operable by said releasing float engageable with said releasingmembers for moving the latter to effect release of said locking leverswhen said tank is substantially filled'or emptied, a vent valve, weightoperated means for normally urging said vent valve to closed position,and means connected between said first-named float and said vent valvefor holding said vent valve in open position when said first-named floatis in lowered position.

3. A water feeding means for boilers comprising a tank having a combinedinlet and outlet, means connecting said combined inlet and outlet to asource of water supply, means connecting said combined inlet and outletwith the boiler, a steam valve carried by said tank connected with theboiler, a vent valve carried by said tank, a buoyant steam valveoperator, means connecting said operator with said steam valve formoving the latter to open position when said tank is full, meansnormally urging said vent valve to closed position, means connectingsaid operator with said vent valve for moving said vent valve to openposition at the time said steam valve is also moved to closed position,a pair of opposed operator locking levers, alternately operable to locksaid operator in an upper or a lower position, pivot means for saidlocking levers, swingable supporting means for said pivot means, meansengageable exteriorly of said tank for adjusting said supporting meansto thereby vary the movement of said operator, lever releasing meanscarried by said operator, and a lever releasing float cooperating withsaid releasing means for actuating the latter to release said operatorwhen said tank is full or empty.

4. A water feeding means for boilers comprising a tank having a combinedinlet and outlet, means connecting said combined inlet and outlet to asource of water supply, means connecting said combined inlet and outletwith the boiler, a steam valve carried by said tank connected with theboiler and normally disposed in closed position, a vent valve carried bysaid tank, a shaft disposed diametrically across said tank, bearings insaid tank for said shaft, a main float, a rock lever fixed to said mainfloat and rockably carried by said shaft, a pilot float, a rock leverfixed to said pilot float and rockably carried by said shaft, meanscarried by said first-named lever engaging said steam valve for movingthe latter to open position when th tank is full, means carried by saidfirst named lever moving said vent to normal closed position when thetank is full, said latter means also efifecting opening of said ventvalve when the tank is empty, a pair of opposed gravity operated lockinglevers rockably carried by said tank and alternately engageable withsaid first named lever for locking the latter in either an upper or alower position, and means operable by said second named lever engageablewith said pair of levers for releasing the latter at the time the tankis either full or empty whereby said main float will move rapidly from alower to an upper position, or from an 11 per to a lower position.

5. A water feeding means for boilers comprising a tank having a combinedinlet and outlet, means connecting said combined inlet and outlet to asource of water supply, means connecting said combined inlet and outletwith the boiler, a steam valve carried by said tank connected with theboiler and normally disposed in closed position, a vent valve carried bysaid tank, a shaft disposed diametrically across said tank, bearings insaid tank for said shaft, a main float, a rock lever fixed to said mainfloat and rockably carried by said shaft, a pilot float, a rock leverfixed to said pilot float and rockably carried by said shaft, meanscarried by said first named lever engaging said steam valve for movingthe latter to open position when th tank is full,

means carried by said first named lever for moving said vent to normalclosed position when the tank is full, said latter means also effectingopening of said vent valve when the tank is empty, a pair of opposedgravity operated looking levers rockably carried by said tank andalternately engageable with said first named lever for locking thelatter in either an upper or a lower position, means substantiallybalancing said main and pilot floats, and means operable by said secondnamed lever alternately engageable with said pair of levers forreleasing the latter at the time the tank is either full or emptywhereby said main float will move rapidly from a lower to an upperposition, or from an upper to a lower position.

6. A water feeding means for boilers comprising a tank having a combinedinlet and outlet, means connecting said combined inlet and outlet to asource of water supply, means connecting said combined inlet and outletwith the boiler, a steam valve carried by said tank connected with theboiler and normally disposed in closed position, a vent valve carried bysaid tank, a shaft disposed diametrically across said tank, bearings insaid tank for said shaft, a main float, a rock lever fixed to said mainfloat, rockably carried by said shaft, a pilot float, a rock lever fixedto said pilot float and rockably carried by said shaft, means carried bysaid first named lever engaging said steam valve for moving the latterto open position, when the tank is full, means carried by said firstnamed lever for moving said vent to normal closed position when the tankis full, gravity operated means carried by said shaft effecting openingof said vent valve when the tank is empty, a pair of opposed gravityoperated locking levers rockably carried by said tank and alternatelyengageable with said first named lever for locking the latter in eitheran upper or a lower position, means for adjusting said pair of levers tothereby vary the locking positions of said first named lever, and meansoperable by said second named lever engageable with said pair of leversfor alternately releasing the latter at the time the tank is either fullor empty whereby said main float will move rapidly from a lower to anupper position, or from an upper to a lower position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 663,735 Davis et a1 Dec. 11, 1900 2,131,335 Sullivan Sept. 27,1938 2,570,961 McBride Oct. 9, 1951 2,574,341 McBride Nov. 6, 1951

